Violinist and educator Mika Nishimura, trained at prestigious institutions like the Franz Liszt Academy and the Jacobs School of Music, has spent over a decade in India reimagining music education. While her foundation lies in the rigour of Western classical training, her work with Mumbai-based NGO Muktangan shifted her focus towards collaborative, human-centred learning. This journey inspired Elevate, a multidisciplinary camp she co-founded with educator Katheryn Murillo, blending music, movement, nutrition, and mentorship to nurture confident, empathetic young leaders. She talks to Travel + Leisure India & South Asia about her vision of helping children connect across divides and believe in their own voice—on stage, in classrooms, and in life.

Excerpts From The Interview With Mika Nishimura

Team T+L India: The camp blends music, movement, nutrition, and leadership. Why did you choose this multidisciplinary approach?

Mika Nishimura: My journey as a music educator began with a strong foundation in Western classical music—trained in world-class institutions like the Franz Liszt Academy, Reina Sofia School, and the Jacobs School of Music. Most of my early experience was shaped through traditional one-on-one lessons and teacher-led group classes. While I deeply value this background, I began to feel a growing desire to create something more collaborative and human-centred.

That shift began when I started working with Muktangan, a progressive NGO in Mumbai. There, I met children from incredibly diverse backgrounds—many facing deep challenges but filled with resilience and potential. We began rethinking how music was taught. Instead of focusing only on technique, we moved towards group learning, peer support, and shared leadership. I witnessed something powerful: students started leading each other.

This transformation became the seed for Elevate—a camp designed not just to teach music, but to nurture young leaders who are grounded, expressive, and empathetic. But as we developed the camp, it became clear: in India, leadership development must go hand-in-hand with basic wellbeing. Many children, even of the same age, come with drastically different levels of energy, focus, and physical readiness—often due to lack of nutrition or opportunities for movement.

That’s why Elevate goes beyond music. It includes movement to energise the body, nutrition education to build strength and awareness, and mentorship to nurture inner confidence. Without proper nutrition, children don’t have the strength to move.

Team T+L India: ⁠What is the most rewarding part about teaching music and leadership to children from diverse backgrounds?

Mika Nishimura: This is the beauty and the strength of India—its diversity. But when I first came here over 10 years ago and brought children from different backgrounds together for a music class, some refused to even share a music stand. That moment stayed with me. I truly believe music can connect people across any divide.

To me, leadership begins with empathy. To lead, you must understand and care about others—not as categories, but as human beings. Music, movement, and food are universal. We all eat. We all hum in the shower. We all move to a rhythm. These shared human experiences help children see beyond difference. This is how we shape a new kind of leader—and a better future.

But we’ve also witnessed how many children, simply because of the circumstances they were born into—their families, their neighbourhoods—are destined for a certain path, or sometimes not even to attend school. Seeing these injustices made us realise we needed to act to help change that reality.

Team T+L India: In what ways does your Japanese heritage influence the way you approach teaching and creating music in India?

Mika Nishimura: These days, people often joke that I’m more Indian than Japanese—and maybe they’re right! But my Japanese roots will always give me a love for precision and attention to detail…sometimes so much that it irritates my students (we laugh about it together!). That care for the small things helps me design learning experiences with thoughtfulness and structure.

At the same time, I’ve fallen in love with the energy of Indian children. They ask questions freely, they aren’t shy to say, “I don’t understand, please explain again,” and they bring so much curiosity into the room.

Over the years, I think I’ve absorbed some of that energy myself! I’m also the loudest voice in the classroom, full of love and passion. This mix of Japanese discipline and Indian vibrancy allows me to create learning spaces with structure, but also with freedom born from the soul—where children feel safe to express themselves fully, in their own way.

Team T+L India: Which elements from Indian culture have influenced your own creative expression since moving here?

Mika Nishimura:Since moving here, I’ve been deeply impressed by how beautiful Indian music and culture truly are. At the same time, I love how open and creative people are—ready to collaborate, explore, and welcome influences from anywhere in the world, whether it’s fashion, art, or ideas. In music, that openness gives you the freedom to play in your own way, without feeling pressured to be the same as everyone else. Indian people genuinely appreciate individuality. That’s the beauty of this country—they accept you for who you are, and they also celebrate the uniqueness I bring from Japan. When these two cultures meet, something even more unique and beautiful is born.

Team T+L India: Can you share a moment during the camp preparations that truly moved you?

Mika Nishimura: One of my students once told me, “Thank you, Mika. After learning the violin with you, I no longer need maths tuition.” She had been at the bottom of her class in maths—but after practising music, she began understanding how to scaffold problems and think logically. Now, she’s at the top of her class.

That’s when I realised: everything is connected. The way athletes, musicians, and leaders train their minds—it’s all about focus, reflection, and structure. Nutrition, too, is not a separate topic. It’s the energy source. Without it, how can a child learn or move?

Team T+L India: How has travel-from Japan to Spain, Israel, and India-influenced your perspective on cultural fusion in the arts?

Mika Nishimura: Travelling with my violin has taught me that “home” can be anywhere. When I arrived in a new country, I didn’t always speak the language—but the moment I started to play, people would smile, listen, and connect. That’s when I understood: music creates its own home.

Whether it was playing in a quiet corner in Europe, rehearsing with strangers who became friends in the Middle East, or sharing songs with children in India, each place has left a mark on my soul. These moments showed me that cultural fusion isn’t just in the arts—it’s in the way people open their hearts to each other when we create together.

Team T+L India: Thinking ahead, how do you envision expanding initiatives like this in other Asian cities, and what impact do you hope to create through music education in the region?